1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a viewing assembly and to a method for coupling a trailer to a selectively movable assembly and more particularly, to an assembly and to a method which allows those residing within a passenger compartment of a selectively movable assembly, such as by way of example and without limitation a vehicle, to efficiently and accurately couple the selectively movable assembly to a trailer.
2. Background of the Invention
Many diverse types of trailers are used to selectively haul goods and material and/or to provide shelter and accommodation for individuals. While many such diverse types of trailers are indeed utilized, they typically all require some sort of attachment to a vehicle or other type of selectively movable assembly in order to allow such trailers to become mobile and to increase their overall usefulness.
Typically, the selectively movable assembly which is to be connected to a trailer has a trailer connection portion or member or assembly which may comprise what is sometimes referred to as a “kingpin” (e.g., a “kingpin” is permanently attached to the front underside of a trailer) and which must be placed within a certain location relative to the trailer to be towed (e.g., typically the “kingpin” portion of the selectively movable assembly slides into a slot on what is typically referred to as a “fifth wheel plate” which is typically and permanently attached to a frame member of the towing vehicle (i.e., a semi-tractor trailer connection)). Such placement typically requires the selectively movable assembly to be driven in a very precise manner towards the trailer (e.g., in a manner which allows the trailer connection portion or trailer connection assembly to actually receive or to be connected to a portion of the trailer which is often know as “the hitch or the tongue portion”).
The placement of the trailer connection member/portion/assembly to the trailer is often difficult since the trailer connection member/portion/assembly and the portion of the trailer which is to be coupled or connected to the trailer connection member/assembly/portion are each typically out of the sight of the driver and the passengers of the selectively movable assembly. This “lack of view” of the trailer connection portion/assembly/member of the selectively movable assembly and of the portion of the trailer which is to be coupled to the trailer connection portion/assembly/member makes the required precise movement of the selectively movable assembly difficult to accomplish and requires much effort and time in order to allow such desired connection to occur (e.g., oftentimes an individual is required to stand by the trailer and to signal to the driver of the selectively movable assembly to move the selectively movable assembly in certain manner in order to accomplish the desired connection).
There is therefore a need and it is an non-limiting objective of these various inventions to provide a method and an apparatus which provides for an efficient connection of a selectively movable assembly to a trailer and to a method and an assembly which allows a driver of a vehicle to continually view the trailer connection portion/assembly/member of a selectively movable assembly in order to allow the selectively movable assembly to be quickly and efficiently coupled to a trailer. These and other benefits of the various inventions are more fully set forth below. It should be appreciated that the foregoing term “trailer connection portion/member/assembly” generally refers to any tangible entity which allows a selectively movable assembly to be coupled to a trailer. Further, each of the terms “trailer connection member,” “trailer connection assembly” and “trailer connection portion” each refer to this tangible entity.